Tired of ridicule, 21-year-old wanted to teach trio a lesson

Pravin Sonawane, who has been arrested on charges of murdering three people who worked with him at Natraj Bar in Vidyavihar, wanted to teach the trio a lesson for constantly ridiculing him, said the police on Sunday.

The 21-year-old from Yavatmal started working at the bar one-and-a-half months ago. “Sonawane used to collect dishes and clean tables at the restaurant. He said that the trio would constantly ridicule him since he joined the bar. He was the youngest staff member and said he felt tormented,” said Qaiser Khalid, additional commissioner of police, East Region.

Sonawane had even warned the trio Vasant Mudira, a sweeper at the bar, Raja Dhakolia, a waiter, and Bhaskar Dalvi, a watchman — of dire consequences, but when it had no effect he decided to “teach them a lesson,” added Khalid. The police are investigating if the trio were sexually abusing Sonawane.

“The murder was premeditated. Sonawane was carrying a knife and a bamboo stick, which he had bought from Manish market,” said Khalid, adding that the murder weapons have been recovered.

Sonawane had entered the bar by jumping over the compound wall at around 4.20am on Saturday.

Sonawane first attacked Vasant Mudira, 30, a sweeper at the restaurant who was sleeping next to Raja Dhakolia, 33, a waiter, in a garage attached to the bar. He first hit Mudira with the bamboo stick before stabbing him brutally. Hearing his screams, Dhokalia woke up and started running but Sonawane pinned him down and knifed him to death.

Sonawane then walked towards the main entrance, where security guard Bhaskar Dalvi, 54, was sleeping near the passage. “He stabbed him too before fleeing,” said Khalid.

An officer who was part the investigations said, “Pravin was aware of the trio’s timings. He waited till 4.20am after all other employees left, except for them as they slept in the bar. Pravin knew that Dalvi and Dakholia stayed till the first train started while Mudira slept at the bar itself.” The trio’s bodies were found by a sweeper at 8.30am on Saturday.